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Wall Street is optimistic about Foot Locker (FL), which is slated to report its first quarter results on Friday, May 18, 2012. Analysts project a profit of 74 cents a share, a rise from 60 cents per share a year ago.

What to Expect:

The consensus estimate remains unchanged over the past month, but it has increased from three months ago when it was 67 cents. Analysts are expecting earnings of $2.27 per share for the fiscal year.

Revenue is projected to be 6.7% above the year-earlier total of $1.45 billion at $1.55 billion for the quarter. For the year, revenue is expected to come in at $6.01 billion.

Trends to Watch For:

The company's net income has been increasing for three consecutive quarters. In the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year, net income rose 42.1% while it rose 26.9% in the third quarter of the last fiscal year and more than sixfold in the second quarter of the last fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings:

The majority of analysts (64.3%) rate Foot as a buy. That percentage is still below the mean analyst rating of its nearest eight competitors, which average 79.5% buys. Analyst sentiment has waned during the last three months.

Competitors:

Foot Locker operates as a global retailer of athletic footwear and apparel. One of Foot's main competitors in the specialty retail industry is DSW (DSW). Other competitors in the consumer discretionary sector include: Collective Brands (PSS), Genesco (GCO), and Shoe Carnival (SCVL).

Recent Price Movement:

Over the past quarter, the stock price has increased from $27.64 on February 15, 2012 to $28.94.